Hillary Clinton urges companies to push gay rights at London summit

Hillary Clinton has supported moves to bring governments and companies together to push gay rights worldwide.

The US Secretary of State has spearheaded diplomatic efforts to improve the human rights of LGBT people in some of the most dangerous countries in the world.

And, in a letter to business people holding a summit in London on gay, bi and trans equality, she urges the world’s leading corporate giants to make an impact.

The Out on the Street summit in London tomorrow (13 November) will see firms like Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays, Citi, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Morgan Stanley and UBS discussing how to push gay equality.

In her letter to those attending, Clinton says: ‘The United States is committed to advancing the human rights of LGBT persons around the world, and through the Global Equality Fund that I launched on International Human Rights Day 2011, we are pursuing innovative models on collaborative, effective assistance to the LGBT community.

‘Forward thinking companies, such as those participating in Out on the Street, have often been at the forefront of positive change for LGBT people. I look forward to seeing the results of your efforts and to bringing more companies and governments together to make a global impact and produce real change in this important area.

‘The inaugural Out on the Street Summit in Europe is an exciting opportunity to connect with one another and share strategies on how to advance the rights of LGBT individuals in the workplace and beyond, and to underscore why this issue matters for the industry.’